#toolbag 2

[doomspoonss]

THE MEDIC - STUDY SCULPT

3/9

[eyesxxyou]

First Time 💋

🩸・・・l. howlett x fem!reader

rating. m

word count. 3.5k

synopsis. you were everything logan shouldn't want. young, religious, and innocent. you were sweet to everyone. and you've never been touched. logan wants to be your first everything.

warnings. age gap relationship (reader is 21, Logan is nearing 50) , religious reader, innocent reader, explicit consent, blood, taking of virginity, a bit of toxic relationship dynamics, logan is not a good person, not edited

↳ pt.1 / pt.2 / pt.3

You were dealing with the devil in disguise and you didn't even know it. For even the devil was once an angel, the most beautiful angel in heaven. That’s the way he tempts even the purest souls into damnation. And you were his latest victim.

Your purity was hanging by the thinnest thread called “virginity” which you were steadfast in not giving up. Logan wasn't pushing it by any means. Slowly but surely, you were giving up pieces of yourself to him. Giving away slices of your precious soul until before even you knew it, you had given him your entire cake. In fact, he had taught you how to give a blow job, confined you to let him hump against your clothed pussy, then eventually against the bare thing.

Logan was growing ever closer to obtaining you, possessing you wholly.

You had already gone home for the night when there was a steady, polite knock at his door. Logan, with a cigar hanging from between his lips, initially thought it was you. That was how you knocked, with a small rhythm and a tender politeness.

But much to his dismay, when he opened the door, Logan found that it was not you, but your father standing before him, still dressed in his Sunday best.

Now, for a moment, Logan thought that this was it. You had either been caught or in some sort of religious guilt, you had confessed everything. Either way, he was sure he had been busted and your father had come to wreak havoc upon him. Either way, he wasn't scared. At the end of the day you were two grown people who had made their decisions. 

“Mr. Howlett, nice to see you again.” Your father smiled. There was no malice or ill intent. You were both in the clear. Logan took his cigar from his mouth and put it out in the ashtray beside the door. “I hope I’m not disturbing your night.” He could see where you got your politeness from. Your father was a good, mild-mannered man. Average on all accounts. But he made a spectacular girl of you.

“Not at all, Reverend.”

Your father, with his hands crossed nicely at his front, was smiling politely. Logan wondered if he knew you had just been here. He wondered if he knew that he had his daughter on her knees with his dick in her mouth. Did he know that he came on your face? Did he know that your mouth felt like heaven?

“I was wondering if you could come by my house tomorrow. Unfortunately we have a bit of an issue with the pipes in our kitchen. I wanted to know if you could take a look.” It was innocent enough but the idea of being in your house made Logan almost swell and explode. He tried to hide the smile, the enthusiasm behind his “sure, I can take a look”.

“Great, thank you for your kindness, Mr. Howlett.” Logan can almost hear your voice in his. Small, quaint, unassuming. “You can come over in the morning. My family and I will be out but we'll leave the door unlocked so you can get in.”

Logan closed the door as your father walked off his porch, already looking forward to tomorrow morning. He thought of how he’d make his way through your house, into your room. He imagined going into your drawers and taking a pair of your pretty little panties to keep for himself. He imagined getting in your bed and jerking off until he came, right on your pillow.

He was up bright and early the next morning. With a small handle of whiskey to wake him up, Logan was out the door by 10 am with his toolbag in hand, a cigar hidden away so he could smoke out the back when he needed to take a break.

Your house was far different than his, bigger, painted a light blue with pastel yellow shudders and a white trim. It was the picture perfect house containing a picture perfect family. What a terrible person he must be to infiltrate such a home.

Your Father said the door would be unlocked. Your family car wasn't in the driveway, you all must have left already. Logan, with laborious steps, made his way up your porch, white wood, a few rocking chairs and a table where you must have put out lemonade and watched the sun go down.

He welcomed himself inside. Your house smelled like wilting roses and antiques. There were crosses everywhere, Bible verses on boards and Rae Dunn as far as the eye could see. Standard, religious, suburban home. He saw nothing out of place from your old brown couch to your wallpaper, pretty and bright.

Logan considered if he should work on your faulty pipes first or take his sick pleasure in your room. After a moment, he adjusted his grip on his toolbag and made his way through your living room and into your kitchen. He’d wait until he got the job done, then take his sweet time in your room. He’d make it a reward.

As it turns out, it was quite simple. You had the wrong piece for the pipe under your kitchen sink and it was connected incorrectly. Logan was halfway beneath your sink when he heard bare feet padding about the hardwood in the living room. He came out, a large hand on the counter to help himself up. His bones weren't what they used to be.

You had come rounding the corner into the tiled kitchen, dressed in nothing but a pretty, little, pale, pink nightgown that stopped at your mid-thigh. You paused at the sight of him, eyes wide and startled like a deer in headlights. “Mr. Howlett?” Sweet little thing, your arms went to cross over your chest, obviously not covered by a bra as he could see the peaks of your nipples poking against the fabric.

Stumbling back a bit, you swallowed. “What are you– my dad said you wouldn't be here until later when he came back.” You watched with your fawn eyes as he stood with a grunt in his white tank top, rough, blue jeans, and steel-toed boots. You were vulnerable, fully and entirely. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Naked under your nightgown besides just a pair of tiny panties.

“Wanted to get this out of the way. Didn't think you’d be here, doll.” Logan took a step towards you and you didn't dare take one back. Your gaze flickered to the side. “I was gonna go but I wasn't feeling well.” You’re all soft and meek and sweet. As if to prove your point, you let out a little cough. He could just devour you.

Logan looked back at his work. “Well– I figured out what's wrong. Should be a simple fix once I get the right part for it.” He looked back to you, eyes all soft. “I'm free for the rest of the day, babydoll.” You know what he was trying to get at. You were home alone, practically naked, the idea wasn't so far beyond you anymore.

You bit your lip. “You want to see my bedroom? I just redid it.” 

A smile twitched at Logan's lip. “Yeah, doll. Show me your bedroom.” You reached out and took his hand in yours, large and calloused. You guided him with your padded feet, occasionally looking back at him as if he’d disappear from behind you. If you were Orpheus, he’d already be gone by now.

You took him up the stairs and around the banister into your room done up in white, floral wallpaper. Your bed was neatly made with a single giant stuffed bear sitting against the pillows. It was obviously old and well-loved. Your room was just like you, soft and quaint.

Letting go of his hand, you went and you sat on the edge of your bed while Logan took his time examining this space you call yours. “It’s nice, really. Pretty, like you.” He stood in the center of your room, looking at you. You were fiddling your fingers in your lap, looking anywhere but him. You were thinking, thinking hard. Your lips twitched.

“What are you thinking about, dollface?” Logan made his way to you and grasped your chin in his fingers. He made you look at him with your doll eyes and your doll lips which you pursed softly. Silently, you stood from the edge of your bed, pressed between it and Logan's solid body. With your hands against his chest, you got up on your toes to reach his face and carefully pressed your lips to his in a tender kiss.

Your hands caressed his face softly, his beard prickly under your fingertips. You were still awkward and timid while kissing, but you were getting better at it. Still on your toes, you broke away from the kiss and wrapped your arms around Logan's neck. “I think I'm ready,” you whispered, voice quivering.

A better man would have asked, “are you sure?” A good man would have told you to wait until you were absolutely sure or even, to stick to your morals and wait until marriage. But Logan was not a good man and all he wanted was you, your entirety, resting in his palms like a baby bunny.

Logan dipped down and kissed you harder than before, with a feverish desire to take your soul straight from your body. His hands slid under your little nightgown, palms against your flesh, groping at you. Your breasts, your ass, the plush of your hips. You whimpered at how rough he was with you and Logan swallowed every squeak.

“Please…be gentle.” You pleaded with him. Your body shuddered as you felt the rumble of Logan's chest. He chuckled lowly.

“Oh, doll– I’m not known for being a gentle man.” There was something a bit feral in his throat as he spoke. “Come on, let's get this off of you.” He tugged at the hem of your nightgown, up and over your head, leaving you partially naked. Your hand immediately shot to your chest, shivering like a scared puppy.

Logan grabbed your wrist, despite his words, he was trying his best to be gentle with you. He didn't want to break you. What was the good in breaking something he wanted to possess? No, no, he didn't want to break you. Logan wanted you to be so thoroughly his that you'd never question him, your loyalty to him was what he wanted.

He took your hands from your breasts to get a good view of them. They were perfectly sized, soft looking. Your whole body was tender and sweet, with plush flesh and sweet curves all where they ought to be. Logan salivated like a pavlovian dog. He kissed you and palmed at your little, cotton panties, tucking his thumbs in and tugging them down.

You whined. “S-slow down.” Pleading as he removed them from you and carefully pushed you onto your bed. You felt too vulnerable nude before him. But Logan was already on his knees, between your legs, kissing and licking down your trembling thighs. “What are you doing?”

He put his mouth against your little love and you let out a sharp yelp. “Wait!” You never thought someone would put their mouth down there. It felt dirty. It felt good too. He pushed his tongue past your wet lips and licked your pussy before sloppily making out with your cunt.

Logan was a messy eater. All tongue and lips, licking and suckling against your most sensitive parts. His large, rough hands gripped at your thighs to keep them parted and pressed to your chest.

You never had your pussy ate and it was easy to tell. You were so sensitive to every touch of his tongue. Every flick against your swollen clit made your entire body shudder and a sweet mewling squeal left your lips. Your back arched from the bed, your toes curled into the air over your head. “Mr. Howlett!” You let out in a long, drawn out moan, your hand in his hair, tugging.

You tasted like heaven. Like he could find the meaning of life between your legs. He drooled all over your cunt like it was the most delectable thing he's ever had the honor of tasting, slurping and panting between rough licks. Logan felt that he could easily become addicted to this if he allowed himself to, the sweetness of you, the way you quivered.

But Logan didn't want you cumming just yet. He needed you to be on his dick first. He offered a few more desperate licks to your pussy before kissing your clit and bringing himself up to stand between your legs. His large, bear-like hands worked at the buckle of his belt. “You know when your parents will be home?”

You shook your head slowly, lips rolled.

“Then we’ll have to be quick.” It wouldn't be the ideal for a girl’s first time but if you wanted “ideal” you shouldn't have chosen someone like him to give up your virginity to.

You watched him pull his cock from his pants, half hard and almost beautiful as he pumped it in his hand. He was large, larger than anything you’ve ever taken before. You could hardly handle two of his fingers before crying. How could you possibly take a thing like that inside you and still remain composed? You were terrified out of your mind and as Logan pulled you by the hip towards the edge of the bed, you were starting to reconsider.

“What if it doesn't fit?”

Logan glanced at you. “I’ll make it fit.” He should tell you that it’s going to hurt at first, that there might be blood from your hymen breaking, but he didn't want you to back out. So he stayed silent, stroking himself to complete hardness until it could stand straight on its own. “Open your legs, doll.”

You hesitated but you were never one to disobey. Trembling, already on the brink of tears from the mere fear of pain, you spread your legs apart just enough for Logan to slot in between them and hold your hips. He looked at you and thought it best to reassure you. “Don't freak out. It’ll only hurt for a minute. I’ll be right here.” It was all vapid. He just wanted your virginity, your sweet, little cunny. He wanted to wear your purity around like a trophy.

Logan was not a good man. You should have known this.

He spat on your cunt, let the saliva dribble from his lips and land on your clit where it traveled its way down to your entrance. Logan played with it with the tip of his length, spreading it all across the rose between your legs. You whimpered like a puppy, writhing at the hips as he slapped his cock against your love and teased at all the possibilities of entering you.

He was right. It did hurt when he started easing his way into you. His cock, long and thick, stretched you out to a point you had never gone to before. You almost screamed or maybe you did. Tears swelled in your eyes as you squirmed against his hold. “It hurts!”

“I know. Just hold on.” He pushed his hips to yours and settled there for a moment. You were too tense. It would only hurt more if he continued before you adjusted. “Relax for me. It’ll only keep hurting if you don't calm down.” You were gasping, sobbing. “I– I can't!”

“Yeah, you can. Just breathe. Stop crying, doll.” Logan rubbed your hip with his hand and cooed at you. He rolled his hips against yours, coaxing you into whining. You let out a deep, panting breath, fingers gripping at the sheets of your bed. You reached out and grabbed your teddy bear to hold for comfort.

You pressed your face into the side of the bear’s head and nodded. “Go slow, please.” Your eyes glistened as you looked at him, cheeks still wet with tears. Your fingers grip into your teddy as Logan grunts lowly. “Sure thing, babydoll.” He grabs your thighs like you grip that stuffed animal, for dear life. You’re so fucking tight, gripping him like a fucking vice as he pulls his hips back.

There's a bit of blood on his cock. He ruptured your hymen with just one thrust. Logan pressed your legs to your chest as he fucked you, starting slow as you requested. He reveled in every desperate cry that clawed at your lips, every pined whimper that fell away into pleasure. Your toes pointed then curled, pointed, curled.

The pain didn't last too long, the blood still wet on his cock as you mewled. You looked quite cute holding your bear, your knees beside your ears, and you can't spread out around his slick length. Logan almost growled with each rut into your soft, silky pussy clinging to him.

It took everything in him not to brutalize you. Not to show you exactly what intentions he had with you. You were nothing serious, but you were his and his alone. He was not the type to marry but if it meant diving into a cunt like this every night, he just might put a ring on your finger to keep you satisfied and placid.

You were so dizzy with dick you might as well have fallen in love with Logan. Maybe you were in love with him. You were certain you were. You would have never given up your virginity to him if you hadn't believed that maybe, just maybe this might go somewhere.

Your father might let you marry him. He’s far older than you but Logan has a good reputation. He might not be a church man, but most accept him within the community. If you pleaded enough, if you told him Logan stole your virginity, he’d demand you two get married to save the family's reputation.

You let out a steady “ah, ah, ah” and “ohhhh!” with each thrust that takes the wind out of you. Logan likes the noises you make, how surprised they sound. You know nothing of this, of his evil, of his hellish ways. “Keep moaning like that. You're gonna make me cum, babydoll.” His hand slithered between your legs, thumb finding your clit toy with.

You squeaked, squealing. “No, no, no! I gonna–” you could hardly get it out before it happened, a great fountain of clear liquid coming from you and landing all over Logan's front. You always found your squirting embarrassing. You were mortified that you had got it all over Logan, still mostly clothed. Some of it even got on his face.

He bared his teeth, licking his lips like some starved animal. You were hazy-eyed and shaking with an orgasm so intense, you might as well have died and come back to life. “Logan– Logan, please.” You huffed, breathless and tired and begging him for something, anything, everything.

“Please what, doll?” Logan was rather amused by the way you writhed beneath him, holding your teddy so tight he thought you might rip it apart. He was so close to cumming, you made it impossible not to do it fast.

You shook your head with a great sob, tossing an arm over your face. “Please…don't cum in me! My dad will kill me if I get pregnant.” You couldn't handle the thought of disappointing your parents. They’d disown you, they’d…they’d…you didn't know what they'd do.

You sniffled as Logan chuckled at your request. “And what if I did, huh? What if I came deep inside you and put a baby in you, then what?” He liked how hard you sobbed, how you cried and moaned at the same time. Despair and pleasure all wrapped into one neat, little bow.

“Please, don’t.”

Logan groaned lowly, faltering with his thrust as his hips shuddered and his cock pulsed in the sweet tightness of your cunt. Just at the last second, he pulled out and came all over your pelvis and lower abdomen, shooting out great, white ribbons across your supple flesh. He didn't want to get you pregnant. He was a bad man, but he was no baby-trapper.

There was silence between the two of you. Your first time was not anything quite special but it was with someone you wanted to have it with so at least that was something. You felt…disgusting. Like a whore, like you dishonored your family.

Logan could see it. He could see the way you slowly dwindled into self-doubt and self-hatred. He took your hand in his and pulled you up into a sitting position. “Gimme some sugar, baby.” He leaned down and kissed you gently, holding your jaw in his hand, stroking your face. With a single kiss, your worries melted away into nothing, a void mind filled with only thoughts of a perfect life with Logan.

“Let’s get you cleaned up, your parents will be home any moment now.”

A perfect life not meant for you. Logan would never commit. He wasn't capable of it. He might want something nice and simple like a wife and a family, but he knew he’d never be satisfied with it.

Logan Howlett was not a good man. And poor you for falling in love with him.

[fins0up]

GRAAAHHHH I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE MINECRAFT MOVIE I HAVE TO I HAVE TO!!!

(Small disclaimer: I don't blame any of the underpaid and overworked writers & animators. They deserved better than this slop, I'm sure of it.

like the general public, I too despise the trailer. Let me just start with the trailer itself.

1.) Love how you can tell where the fucking green screen is. /sarc. Also the line "This guy is such a toolbag" they give her feels not only millennial, but fucking stupid jesus christ. You could've made a block joke there like. "...This guy is such a blockhead." "Yeah everything's made of blocks here." Or something AT LEAST TRYYY GUYYYSSS...

2.) The artstyle I know everyone talks about it but the FUCKING ARTSTYLE OH MY GOOODDDD IM DYING why has literally no one talked about the wolf though LIKE???

why is the wolf's body literally discord shaped. Why is Built like That. What the fact did they do to you??? Like, I just... I hate the combination of the realism and the blocks like??? JUST MAKE IT FULLY BLOVKY???? WHAT THE FUCK IS THIIIISSSSS GOD it's so fucking uncanny I hate it. I hate it so.

3.) Love the whitewashed Steve /sarc. Fr though, are we surprised? I hate that Jack Black of all people is playing him like guys that was a joke people was making. Are y'all able to understand jokes? Or understand what a pos Jack Black is? Jesus fuck gamers he's not only ableist (supports Autism Speaks) but a zionist as well. But besides that Steve feels like. Hold on.

Look at Steve. If he actually existed in the real world, I have a feeling he would be muscular (because he mines, builds, + farms like all day), and probably somewhere around his 20's-30's. You're telling me that Jack Black, an actor + musician who's in his 50's. Like, this isn't to say that Steve wouldn't have some tummy fat at all, he probably would! But like... Jack Black just doesn't... feel like Steve at all. Jack Black is like the exact opposite.

There's just like this... massive, icky vibe about the entire trailer that makes me hate it. I think it's a mixture of the live action "isekai" shit with the like... blocky textures that makes everything uncanny and gross to look at. And it feels like rather than taking the concept and saying "Hey, since the experience is so varied, let's take multiple characters and storylines and take proper care of each to tell a different story of the same game" (like Fallout the Show) they're just like, "Eh... I mean... I'm sure the Isekai trope will work again."

Not only that, but like over all it feels like rather than looking and seeing this game and being able to "laugh with" Minecraft fans (side note: I wouldn't mind Minecraft being comedic, admittedly, a block world is a fucking ridiculous concept. But, I'd still say keep the same sentiment that the game has which is, "You can build your own version of the world from the ground up, you are the master of your destiny") they're looking at it like that one mom from that AITA post and saying, "This is ridiculous and childish. Why do you like this? It's stupid. It's just some game about blocks."

I'm not gonna sit here and pretend that fans can't be picky about videogame movies/tv shows at all. Because I enjoyed the Mario movie, despite some fans hatred of it. I can't ignore the fact that videogame movies tend to be 50/50 on how fans will react to them. But still, really? This is what you guys have to show after 10 years? This is what we get? It feels like a punch in the gut, dude. I hate so much. I can't stop thinking about it.

[vikenticomeshome]

Cyberchase Comics: The Great Cyber-skate by Ron Barrett

Here is the first of a group of three one-shot Cyberchase comics produced by Ron Barrett for the pbskids.org website sometime in 2011. They were placed under the "activites" section, but they have since been removed. I will transcribe the dialog.

The Hacker: This museum is all about me! I love it!

Caption #1: Buzz ironing my lovely cape

Caption #2: Generous me giving toys to Delete

The Hacker: Only one thing is missing...

The Hacker: A pedestal for my statue!

Buzz: Hey boss, look! There's a skateboard contest on Radopolis!

Cyber News: Trophy to be awarded to winner

The Hacker: That's it! The perfect pedestal! I'm going to win that trophy

Buzz: Too late! Entries are closed. Besides, you don't own a skateboard and you don't know how to skate.

The Hacker: FEH! I never let ignorance stop me!

The Hacker: I'll put together the ironing board and bunnies...

The Hacker: Presto! - A skateboard!

The Hacker: OOOOPS!

Narration: On Radopolis...

Jackie: Ouch! I hit my thumb!

Slider: Let me take a look at that.

Nezzie: Oh Slider, you did a terrific job designing this skateboard challenge.

Matt: Hey, guys! Can we finish building it?

Matt: Why do I suddenly feel invisible?

Slider: Well, I'm off to enter the contest!

Jackie: It is a challenge - It's got a banister, crazy cones, broken sidewalk...

Inez: Sewer half-pipe, a loop...

Matt: and a judge.

King Dudicus: Judge Dude.

The Hacker: Pardon me, young Radopolite, what time does the contest begin?

Young Radopolite: 2:30, its 2 O'clock now.

The Hacker: 2 O'Clock? May i see your watch?

Young Radopolite: Sure, mister.

The Hacker: Ah-ha! You're wearing it upside-down! It's only 8:30!

Young Radopolite: Silly me. I must be tired. I should rest before the contest.

The Hacker: Good idea! I'll hold your number for you.

Young Radopolite: Thanks.

The Hacker: He just dropped out. I am taking his place.

King Dudicus: You, dude?

The Hacker: Want to give me the trophy now or wait 'til after the contest?

King Dudicus: The dude who's best at finishing the course wins it.

The Hacker: Listen up, you bolts buckets - after I complete my great skate, I want you to cut a hole on the course...

The Hacker: So Slider will become a stumbler!

King Dudicus: Let the cyberskateboard contest begin! The first skater is... The Hacker!

King Dudicus: Go dude!

Jackie, Inez, and Matt: Hacker?

The Hacker: Whooooayy!!

The Hacker: Ai-yi-yi-yi!

Buzz: There he goes. Start cutting.

Digit: Oh no! The contest has already started. Huh? Hacker? Buzz? Delete?

The Hacker: HELLLLP!

Buzz: Heh-heh

Digit: I'd better squawk on the Sqwak! Earthlies! Buzz and Delete are cutting a piece out of the course!

Buzz: A hole to be filled by Slider.

Delete: Finished.

Jackie, Inez, and Matt: Thanks Didge! We're on it!

Inez: There's a whole piece missing. How do we make one that fits perfectly?

Jackie: It's a rectangle.

Matt: We can measure the hole...

Matt: and cut a new plank to fit out of this broken skateboard.

Jackie: measure with what?

Matt: I can measure with my shoelace.

Matt: It's one lace long...

Matt: by one third of a lace wide.

Jackie: Draw the lace lengths on the board. Hurry! Slider's starting.

Inez: Gee, it looks more like a tangle than a rectangle.

Matt: It should have square corners.

Inez: Wait! Here in our toolbag - A carpenter's square!

Inez: You can use it to square off the corners.

Matt: Great! I'll measure one lace length...

Matt: across the top and redraw the line.

Matt: Then measure and draw one third of a lace down the side...

Matt: turn the square...

Matt: so the corner is at the side. Draw one lace length across here...

Matt: Then turn the square and draw a line upward!

Jackie, Inez, and Matt: The rectangle is untangled!

Jackie: Cuttin' it out!

Matt: Perfect fit!

Digit: Nail! Nail! The gang's all here!

Inez: Thanks, Didge!

Narration: Just in time!

Digit: Go Slider!

Narration: Up ahead, Hacker enters - the loop!

Narration: And as he does...

Narration: The legs on his ironing board spring open!

Ironing Board: Sproing!

Narration: As Slider rolls past him to the finish!

Narration: And is awarded the trophy!

The Hacker: My pedestal! Sob! Sob!

Buzz: Don't be sad, boss. We'll fix up a nice pedestal for your statue.

The Hacker: I am gorgeous.

Delete: You're the iron man, boss.

Buzz: Yeah, we're never board with you!

That is the end of the comic.

So, what did I think about it?

Slider is great, but why is he entering a skating contest on a course that he built himself? That gives him an unfair advantage. Why did they keep the contest running while the kids tried to fix the sabotaged ramp?

We now know that citizens of Cybersite Radopolis are called Radopolites. Buzz's line about making a hole to be filled my Slider creeps me out.

[lu-backrooms-au]

“I see… yes this rail is cracked pretty bad alright," Four said. "The whole door’s going to have to come off and you’ll have to bring the rail to the shop for us to repair it.”

“I was afraid of that,” Malon said. “Well, wait a moment while I go find my husband and we can figure out how long it’ll take to get the door off and get you an estimate of when we can deliver the rail to you.”

“Sounds good,” Four climbed down off the ladder and dusted his hands off on his pants. He pulled his water bottle out of his toolbag and took a drink.

“I was hoping we wouldn’t have to take the door completely off,” Malon started as she folded up the ladder and carried it back to it’s spot on the wall. “We just got a new barn cat and she’s still getting used to her her new home and isn’t allowed to come and go freely yet. I suppose that we could—”

“Miss Malon?” Twilight appeared in the doorway of the barn. “Oh good! I need—”

Four spewed his water into the hay, startling both Malon and Twilight.

“TWILIGHT!!!” He cried.

“WHOAH! Four!” Twilight shouted in stunned surprise.

Last Four heard, his cousin Twilight had gone missing from his home in Ordon province—foul play was suspected. That was nearly ten months ago. It had been so long since anyone had seen or heard anything about him that Four figured Twilight was probably dead.

“What are you doing here??” They both asked at the same time.

[kayakoto-enterprises]

Burmean Python [2/2]

Do it. Do it. Do it. Part 2 of 2. Please read the first part before proceeding!

I love these messy lesbians and I'll finally draw them tomorrow!

General warnings that apply for BTTWNS in general (gore, drugging, torture). Also a bit suggestive but not explicit in some areas.

I had to stop and catch my breath. When the telephone rang out as loud as death.

What does anatomy permit? What does it limit? Mice eat seeds, cats eat mice, jackals kill cats, bears kill jackals- that's the way the world works. Some people are just meant to be killed to make ends meet. How do you put this reality lightly? Julianne is such a sensitive soul. She cries over wasted food. Her ears obviously droop when she gets scared. She's always asking people if they're alright. I always knew about the bad relationships she found herself in. The people she attached herself to. The person she killed. Honestly if it wasn't a jackal I would've been happier.

It sounds insensitive to say out loud in any way one could put it. Maybe you shouldn't tell your girlfriend she's well far down the food chain. A domesticated cat, no less: they have zero hunting skills, they're quite spoilt, and lazier than any other critter I've seen in my lifetime. When I woke up this morning I turned to my side to wake up my guest but was left disappointed nobody was there. When you wake up next to a murderer what do you do?

I'm sure she's in her apartment still sleeping. She's next to her plushies and she's going to the city and meet with a client. Later she'll eat the beef bowl she always orders at Guy's on her way home. Then she'll find her favorite cake on her favorite plate from her favorite girl on their anniversary.

Today, the world revolved like nothing had happened last night. Nobody wondered why there was a screaming match at my house. Nobody had asked me about my relationship today. A slow afternoon commenced like usual. I opened up my journal and noticed the wedding invitation slip under the counter. Picking it up from the upside, Kaku's cursive handwriting said "Ms. Strong & Ms. Lucky". I opened it up to read the details. Ticking every benchmark a Woodbrook wedding would have. At the chapel. At 2 pm. A lakeside reception. No white. Wear blue and yellow- it's tropical.

"To be held...on November 17th, 1987. RSVP for 2."

On this slow fall afternoon there was nothing after me after all. I've just attracted a swarm of wasps on myself. I pushed the envelope flap back and pressed, pocketing it in my jacket.

The folded bike slid neatly into the cabinet next to the door. I went to open the radio to fill out the empty space. I've stayed alone for 20 years but I somehow couldn't bear a night with my own thoughts. I set a dinner set for two almost like routine. Something new's been hardwired into my system. Longing to not be alone. Longing to have something to hold me back. A safety net. A harness. Handcuffs. I closed my eyes holding the spare pillow I bought for her.

I opened my eyes greeted by a headache and a thick fog that surrounded the forests of Golden Apple City. I had wrapped my apron into a makeshift pillow and my toolbag was missing from my side. I jolted up in panic running through foliage keeping my eyes open for it. A loose branch tripped me off my balance and I landed face down on the stream from my new camp. Someone set up my hoist. Peeking behind a tree there were wild jackals swarming the body hung on it. They began licking the fresh wound pouring with blood before they could begin their business. Despite the deep cut on the carotid artery it was wincing, struggling and still aware of the torture it was going through. Once the fog began to clear around the injured body, my mind shut down when I recognized it was Julianne struggling to get off the mechanism. She began wiggling about to loosen the rope on her ankles and hit the floor once the tripod lost its balance. Her face planted into the plate pooling her blood and she began panthing looking around her for help. Her eyes met mine and she ran. I chased after her to the end of the thick forest and into the altar. She fell to the ground weakly and called for Kaku and Liv's help. "I'm live bait" she screamed "Sam set me up in there and watched me get torn to shreds. God saw what she did."

Fuck. It can't be, can it? Someone knows and someone is gonna tell. I have to do something. And I need to do it quick.

The essentials are here. Knives. Ropes. Gloves. Syringes. Plastic. An excuse. I stuffed as much painless remedies as I could in a flurry of sweat and fear. I started the truck and quickly made my way to the edge of town where the Sunset Valley apartments stood. I put on my jacket walking to the entrance of the complex. Visiting hours are over it seems. There's still a chance she's awake. Looking up to the 5th floor, the window with a fake stained glass design was still wide open. The lights were dim as usual but she's surely awake at this hour.

Cling, cling, cling... Cling, cling, cling...

That should attract her to cautiously look around her. She nervously peered out the window, sleepy eyes widening seeing me right outside. Her paws gestured to keep myself quiet. I only replied to her that we needed to talk now. Her green eyes widened then drooped, nodding before locking the window. Minutes later, Julianne was downstairs in a cami top and shorts. I checked my watch- yes, it's 2:27 am.

"It's so late.." She began "Why are you still awake?" "Same question for you." I shrugged, unlocking the door for her "Were you going to sleep?" "I already was but I couldn't. I don't know why." Julianne yawned, stretching her arms up as her teeth chattered instinctively again. "Let's..talk about..yesterday...at our favorite hiding place." The truck slowly drove its way down town, dreading what could happen next.

About that first question,

What does anatomy permit? What does it limit?

Python bivittatus, also known as the Burmean Python, is a choke artist. It is powerful enough to kill a deer. To be able to kill such a large pest, they bite their prey then quickly coil around it- crushing their air supply and autonomy, and only then can it spread its venom into the bloodstream. The bigger the prey, the more energy it takes. It's taking a year. It only took a year for this to begin falling apart. I've bitten into her. She's excitable, eager for touch or affection of any kind even when it stings. It makes her melt when I place my palms on her round figure. She purrs when I comb her fur. She's already been marked as my prop. My decorative toy. And she likes the role. Coil around her by being ever present in her lonely life. Give her a space to stay in my house. Invite myself into her space. Spend nights in the forest looking at the stars. Break those protective walls and defenses until she's completely in my palm ready to serve. I remember one night I stayed over after a trip to the city. The warm dim lights invited me immediately to bed, my body sore from harboring a moose to and from the truck that afternoon. It was a big catch- I would have said if I was stupid enough. Julianne sat next to me and asked if I wanted to order in dinner. I shook my head then absentmindedly crawled to lay my head on her lap. She laughed and called me adorable. Her paws ran through my fur. I could hear her purring. I rolled back to look up at her, admiring her soft features lit by the moon outside. I asked her if I could hear one story before I crashed in again.

"Personal, Public Domain, or Original?" She held me closer to her chest like a stuffed animal.

"Whatever you can think of now."

"Well...once upon a time, there was a princess who woke up in a tower. It was dilapidated, gloomy, and cold. There was barely anything in the tower. A bed, a shelf, a bag full of clothes, and a sword were her only company until smoke filled the room. She looked out the window and saw a fierce dragon guarding the prison."

"However, upon further inspection she found that the dragon was also chained. Its bounds connected to the tower itself. It was shaking in fear. At first the princess was afraid that if she stepped out of line, the dragon would fly away, crushing the tower down with her. But it was timid and pitied the princess. They both had no idea how the princess got trapped in the first place. Hell knows its not the dragon who did it. They were clueless but they bonded over their imprisonment. The dragon grew close to love the princess. It swore to protect her from everything that came into the cave they were in. Many men, princes of every kingdom came to save the damsel but the dragon burnt them to a crisp."

"One day, the princess' father came with an army of men angered that the dragon had killed all the men he offered his daughter up to. Thousands climbed the tower to retrieve the prize. Hundreds stabbed the dragon to stabalize it. They were both screaming for help. Afraid of what would happen inside the tower, the dragon flew up. The tower tumbled over the army and killing the princess inside it."

Suddenly my sleepiness left me as I sat back up to process the story. "You can't make childrens' books with stories like that, Sweetie. That's so sad." I said, looking up to the glow in the dark stars on her short cieling. She laid next to me moments later, tickling her fingers to intertwine with mine.

"Yeah but it's interesting though, right? People who love each other stuck in their own prisons."

I looked back to her and slowly blinked. She repeated the gesture.

"How'd you know that?"

"Melody and I used to...do things."

"Huh." There was a saddened look on her face. I quickly pacified it by pulling her closer to me, squishing her soft sides to tease her. She pulled her ears back.

"Well forget about that now, she's still obsessed with her husband, Hun. There's nothing I can do especially when I have you." Then here it comes: the venom. I parked in front of the elementary school building. This shouldn't take long. I took her hand as we walked through the uneven earth. Some of the rocks that used to be visible had been consumed by the kudzu. We agreed it was less of an eyesore now until we nearly tripped on its branches. The moon was high above us, guiding us to a clearing surrounded by oak.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, cupping her right cheek as I kissed the left from behind her. I reached for a syringe filled with curare. Positioning her closer to me, I flicked the cap off, ready to pierce the skin. My hands were shaky. I fought against the thought of backing off. She knew too much. She had to go. Now.

"Don't move."

She stood still with her fists clenched then began toying with her hands. A cold chill swept around us and her tail flew up blocking the bullseye.

I dropped it. My hands redirected to taking off my jacket and wrapping it around her like a blanket. Julianne turned around when she felt the weight of the clothing on her shoulders.

"Just put it on. It's cold here."

She obediently nodded, putting it on and noticing it was a bit too big for her. I quickly picked up the open syringe and cap, hiding it in my back pocket. I looked at my shaky hands. It was hard to even keep something still in my hands.

"Is there something wrong with your hand?"

Julianne put hers into mine. Like magic the anxiety running through them calmed.

"No. Let's sit down, shall we?"

The wind continued to blow against our fur sitting on the tall grass. We stared at the craters of the moon for hours with the right words stuck in our throats. Julianne rested her chin on my shoulder.

"Are you ever afraid of being alone?" She asked. "I can live on my own. I don't need anyone. But living with you for almost a year now puts a lot of things into perspective. I do like company. Just when they aren't trying to get me in jail or trying to sleep with me through murder...when they're naive." "Do you think I'm naive?" "Just a little bit. But that's what you are when you're young. You're excited. But everytime I pursue something in a relationship, it has to end with me being alone. It's my nature. I'll always be alone."

Julianne frowned. She began to tear up but stopped herself from feeling further.

"I'm still here, Samantha." "Why?" "I dunno. I'm a fool I guess. And you're a sweetheart, you know? Even if you try and tell me that you're nothing like what you put on for Woodbrook, when we're alone you look at me fondly and you smile. I never knew that feeling until you make me think about it."

I reached back to completely hide the syringe. I felt guilty for once trying to kill someone.

"I look at you like that because you make rooms feel nice. And it isn't fake or anything." "So I'm not just bottom of the food chain junk to you after all." "What? No, no you're not. It's just a pessimistic philosophy I've enrolled into when I was young for survival's sake. I'm telling you now you don't believe in it or else you'll end up like me."

I brushed her tears away with my thumb and peppered kisses on her forehead.

"I'll keep your secret, okay? You just promise me one thing.." "Even if I killed a jackal?" "You could've killed a lion. I'll keep my mouth shut."

She buried her face into her kneecaps in shame. I continued to brush the fur on her upper back, sprinkling in a few tickles on her sensitive spots. After a while she sat back up giggling between sniffles.

"H-hey, I'm weak there." "I know. I know what I'm doing." "I hope you do.."

She invited me down to lay on the grass, pressing her soft body down as kissed her. This new energy release and repeat satiated the need I felt that night. I still couldn't keep my hands still. They were wandering around her. I couldn't let that go. Not yet. Not now. Oh god not ever if I can. "Sam, I-I can't wait for you to get better. I need you, you know? You can kill all the critters, I'd prefer if you didn't, but there's nothing you can say or do that'd drive me away."

"I'm not someone to look up to, Julianne."

"I'm an awful person too, dammit. Let me also be jealous and ugly."

I carried her into my arms and cradled her like a doll. I felt her tummy through the fabric of the jacket but before I could tease her further I remembered something was inside its inner pockets.

"Unzip that for me, please?" "Middle of the forest, honey." "No, not that, Jesus. There's something I wanna show you." I put up the invitation from Kaku. Julianne's eyes immediately grew bigger.

"Ohhh oh they're getting married? Already?! Wow this is such nice paper..." Julianne carefully flipped through the stationery.

"They've been around Woodbrook for ten years now. It makes sense they'll marry. Seen them since I was in college."

"Huh. If it's tropical themed, why won't Liv just get married on the beach.."

"Too expensive..hey, do you have a blue dress?" I redirected her focus on the little footnote on the dress code. She looked at me and shook her head.

"I gotta look. All the stuff I display is pink or brown or white. I think I do..." She looked back up at the stars before looking back to me.

"I'm glad we talked this through. Or over. Or under. I couldn't sleep without someone next to me now it's stupid."

"Aww. Do you want me to sleep at your place?"

Julianne slowly tilted her head as she blinked.

"It'd be an honor."

[hubr1s69]

i have so many questions like how did you do the hair cards ? how do you apply them? did you do the UVs in Zbrush? how was the retopology for the pants, especially around the folds? what program do you use for retopo? was sculpting the mesh of the sword and texturing it super hard??? i'm impressed with your work i need to learn so much more

Hi! this is a great tutorial going over the type of hair cards I used for this project: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/xD0bPm

to simplify the process universally: 1. analyse your references and determine which type of strands make up the hairstyle you want to do 2. generate the textures in a program of your choice, I simulate the hair strands in Maya using x-gen and bake the opacity and normals onto cards in Substance Painter where I also do a simple diffuse and roughness map (think normal high to low poly workflow) 3. apply the textures to your cards in your 3D program and start placing them on your character in layers, starting from the lowest 4. set up a shader in your rendering program of choice and frequently test your groom, I'm using marmoset toolbag 4! I did the Retopo/UVs for everything in Maya since that's the program I was taught and most comfortable in, I don't think Zbrush is great for UVs but with plugins Blender comes close to the utilities Maya has!

Most of the retopology was based on the topology of the underlying body mesh since it's mostly tight-fitting items that need to deform exactly the same way to avoid clipping. The folds took a while to retopo and it's again mostly the same topology as the body underneath but adding detail/faces by using the cut tool along the flow of the folds without disturbing the overall edgeflow! :)

The sword was less sculpting than you would assume, I've started making my own IMM brushes to use for ornaments and similar things so it's mostly just placing things around and making it look good together! I found that doing ornaments that way leads to a cleaner result and it's easier to iterate, compared to attempting to sculpt that level of detail

The textures of the sword are still sort of early in the process, the bake is doing a lot at the moment and I want to add more signs of wear and damage to the metal as well as the hilt

Thanks for the questions! I love talking 3D so feel free to hit me up if you want more explanations, just keep in mind that I am a recent grad so there's a lot of things I myself am still learning!

[abnormary]

MODERN AU NORTALICE

Quick Disclaimer- Hi sorry for not posting in 2 years I've jumped around a bunch of fandoms and if you followed me for A3! content there probably won't be any more of that as the EN server shut down and I don't feel like reading TLs forever.

I posted this on all my platforms, but I needed to get all my thoughts out of my head on this AU. I am still in the design process, and I will probably redesign the characters more for this AU, but the jist of it is that Alice moved to the big city. Living away from the rest of society as she grew up in a rural area, she wanted to move to the big city and chase the big dream of becoming famous. She currently works for a tabloid company and has to act like a paparazzi to get some new material for work. When she finds out that an old diner was getting demolished to make room for a mysterious figure to rebuild over it, she wants all the inside scoop to be ahead of her competitors and co-workers.

She stalked outside the demolition crew's fence and waited until she could chase after someone who had just finished off their shift. Though she waited longer than she thought, she stayed there waiting longer than she would've stayed if she was just in the office. Many construction workers and demolition crew passed by her, but most terrified her as they didn't have the friendliest expressions or had no desire to be a part of such a thing. As she was about to give up, she noticed that there was a man she'd seen working a bit earlier by peaking through the fence. What stood out to her was the scar over the man's eye and the "piercing" on his nose.

He seemed the least scary to her visually, (and potentially the only one that would be willing to talk to her cause all the other ones tend to walk off immediately.) so she mustered up the courage to go over to him while he was on a lunch break. He just stared at the blond awkwardly as she greeted him, her previously neat and tidy ponytail was now messy due to the heat. He almost mistook her for a solicitor and was just planning to never respond and wait for her to eventually back off, but he realized how desperate she seemed for this interview and felt bad for her.

He understood, in a way, how much she needed the interview, as he also had to do what he could to make ends meet. I'd like to think that Alice would stop by every week and soon make excuses to come by every other day to talk to him. She wouldn't realize at first that she fell for the guy she just wanted information from, making excuses that she just made extra lunch that happened to include some bread he mentioned he liked eating once.

Norton would try returning her favors by trying to make something; though it wasn't the best, Alice always appreciated them. Soon, her visits to ask for inside information about the construction and demolition company turned into an "I just wanted to visit a friend." I'd like to think Alice was the one who pulled the official first date move by asking him if he'd like to go to a local cafe sometime and him being too oblivious and overthinking her asking him to the cafe, then realizing what she meant when she brought him a flower and a mole keychain I put on his toolbag in the drawing.

Norton would eventually ask her out officially after a while, and Alice would ask, "Are we not already dating?"

[delphi-dreamin]

1) I'm going to need to see this warrant you supposedly have, Officer.

2) Lucifer did not ply me with libations. I can't even get drunk off Demonus. You toolbags seem to forget that. Somebody bring me some tequila to one of these things just once, please. I'm begging.

3) Asmo is the best wingman a girl could ask for. Truly. He's got my back. 🥰

[abysswatchers420]

im a stickler for detail so here are all the things you can find in Cel's beloved frogcar. a poppy green 1969 Mach 1 Mustang that's been modified to 2077 chooh2 engine standards with magnetic suspension. Frequently are the wheels swapped out between offroading in badlands to street racing and drifting.

1. Glove compartment: tissues, chapstick, black lipstick, car registry documents, coiled bundle of wires

2. Ceiling console: spare pair of red lensed sunglasses

3. Center console: frogphone (emergency satnav phone), lighter, hair ties, pack of gum, stiletto knife, pens, paperclips, alligator clip, moist towelette, ketchup packet, microfiber towel, and most importantly-- trash.

4. Front seats: knife sheathed between driver seat and center console, gun under driver seat, 3 EMP grenades under passenger seat

5. Floorboards: water bottle in front passenger side, spare pair of boots with clean socks

6. Backseat: rolled up sleeping bag + pillow, impact drill, pneumatic nail gun, hoodie

7. Trunk: car jacks, tire iron, flares, toolbag containing various screwdrivers, pliers, wire strippers, wrenches, hammer, drill bits, roll of copper wire, roll of soldering wire, assorted nuts and bolts

this was my first time coloring tires and man that shit is hard, i think tires are just as difficult as drawing hands and feet. anyway it was good fun practice and I'm glad i did it

[jellorat]

Art/Crafts Area almost complete

This is an in-progress picture of my art/crafts area. My previous apartment was only 564 square feet, which I shared with my wife and cat, and required two desk set ups because we worked from home. We did not have room for anything.

That meant to do any sort of sewing, painting, cricuting, etc. I had to pull everything out from under the bed, the couch, in the closet, etc, and set it up, and then put it all back away.

If I painted, then my easel was literally in the middle of a walking space, so I never felt comfortable leaving anything out.

In our new home, the "living room" area is now the creation area. I have room to grow. For the first time in my life, I have all my paints out so I can see what I have. Before, it was all in a toolbag that lived in a closet, and I had to dig for everything I wanted.

The baskets on the top shelf are all filled with my fabric stash, and sewing projects. The white box with stickers is literally cat stuff.

The table pulls out for an additional 2 feet. I can lay out full patterns on it! No more floor patterns, where my dislocating shoulder becomes an agonizing disaster, and I race against time to get it done due to pain.

I hung a lamp right where I needed it for maximum lighting!

I have two drawers that are empty, and one that is only half full of patterns. I have so much room to grow!

Even better, my wife now feels like she can do things here too. I am so happy we made the "living room" out of one bedroom so that we could have this space.

This will surely be tweaked and adapted as I go on, but I just can't describe how good it was for my soul to have a space for creative hands on work.

I have the sewing machine set up in the closet room right now, but it will come out to the table. I will put a serger in there when I get one, eventually. I want to paint the shelf boards so they don't look weird, and replace the dollar store blue baskets with better fitting versions, maybe little drawers in the shelves.

This really makes this house feel like a home.

[neelkamble]

Character Design in Game Development: From Concept to Creation

Game Design: Character Design: From Idea to Reality Character design in video games has undergone significant change, now incorporating both artistic and technical skill. This blog investigates key parts of character creation work process and features important assets for hopeful game specialists.

Character Production Workflow Mido Lai emphasizes the significance of a structured process in his workflow overview of his character production method[1]. There are a few crucial steps that can be broken down into the workflow:

Gathering of References: Visual references are important for both 2D concepts and 3D modeling because they help artists see how clothing and anatomy interact with one another.

Blockout Sculpting: Artists establish the character's overall balance and proportions by defining forms and apexes with straightforward primitives.

Sculpting the Details: Refinement of facial features, hair, and other distinguishing characteristics is the primary focus of this phase.

Posing: The last posture is pivotal for conveying the person's character and establishing them in the game world.

Presentation: Delivering and lighting, frequently finished in particular programming like Marmoset Toolbag, rejuvenate the person.

Character Design Resources There are a lot of resources for people who want to improve their character design skills[2]:

Video Instructions: Channels like HypeHype and Ross Draws offer brief tips on basic plan standards.

Industry Talks: Experienced artists' GDC presentations offer valuable insights into professional workflows.

Books: Comprehensive explanations of the design process can be found in books like Kevin Crossley's "Character Design From the Ground Up."

Online Articles: Character design methods are explained in detail on platforms like 80 Level.

Key Contemplations in Character Plan

Fruitful person configuration in games expects regard for a few elements:

Outline and Shape Language: Particular outlines help characters stick out and convey character.

The "Color Palette" Color selection is judiciously used to improve character recognition and mood.

Integration of Backstory: The design of a character should reflect both their personal history and their role in the story.

"Technical Limitations": The game engine's and target platforms' limitations must be taken into account when designing.

Game artists are able to create compelling characters that resonate with players and enhance the gaming experience as a whole by combining artistic vision with a solid understanding of these principles and making use of the resources that are available.

References:

Lai, M., 2024. Character Production Workflow Overview. [online] 80 Level. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/character-production-workflow-overview/

80 Level, 2024. 80 Level Digest: Great Resources on Character Design in Games. [online] Available at: https://80.lv/articles/80-level-digest-great-resources-on-character-design-in-games/

[kalungepallavi]

Exploring 3D Weapon Art: Jay Travers' Journey and Tips for Aspiring Artists

Introduction:

Jay Travers, a 21-year-old aspiring 3D artist from England, shared his approach to creating 3D weapon art and his experiences learning through trial and error. Jay’s journey from student to self-taught artist provides inspiration for others venturing into the world of 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering. His insights into tools like Marmoset Toolbag and his focus on continuous learning highlight the dedication required to excel in this field.

Education and Early Inspiration:

Jay’s interest in 3D art began in college, where he studied 3D Modeling and Animation. Originally drawn to product and graphic design, he discovered a passion for digital art, particularly in the gaming industry. His education provided a solid foundation in tools like Autodesk Maya, but Jay emphasizes the importance of exploring multiple software options to stay adaptable in a rapidly evolving industry.

Inspiration and References:

Drawing inspiration from video games like *Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk 2077*, Jay focuses on creating realistic, hard-surface weapon art. He also relies heavily on references, particularly real-life weapon inspection videos and detailed images from auction houses and museums. These references are crucial for achieving the high level of detail necessary for his projects.

Modeling Approach:

Jay began his 3D modeling journey with subdivision modeling, which involves careful manipulation of topology to create smooth, artifact-free surfaces. While this method helped him develop problem-solving skills, he now advises against it for larger projects due to its complexity. Instead, he recommends learning popular workflows that simplify the process and produce cleaner results.

Texturing Techniques:

Jay’s texturing style often involves creating weathered, worn-looking surfaces. He learned by studying other artists’ materials and experimenting with procedural generators and brushwork in software like Substance Painter. Jay prefers using standard brushes with modified settings and custom alphas to add unique details, but he cautions against overusing popular assets that can make your work look generic.

Lighting and Rendering with Marmoset Toolbag:

For rendering, Jay has adopted Marmoset Toolbag due to its real-time rendering capabilities and ease of use. He follows a classic 3-point lighting setup to highlight his models and recommends Marmoset’s resources for hard-surface modelers. Despite its cost, he believes Marmoset Toolbag is a worthwhile investment for anyone serious about 3D rendering.

Challenges and Advice:

Jay acknowledges the challenges of breaking into the 3D art industry, especially finding work. He stresses the importance of dedication, continuous learning, and practice. He advises aspiring artists to seek out specialized courses early on and to immerse themselves in the community by engaging with other artists, studying their work, and taking advantage of available resources like tutorials and online articles.

Conclusion:

Jay Traver's journey from student to 3D artist is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of self guided learning. His experiences offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to improve their skills in 3D modeling and rendering.....particularly in the realm of game development. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your craft,. Jay's insights are a reminder that dedication and a willingness to learn are key to success in this creative field.

References:

Travers, J. (2021, February 8). Studying Weapon Art: reference, SubD modeling, texturing. https://80.lv/articles/studying-weapon-art-reference-subd-modeling-texturing/

[nikolett-philippovits-gamesart]

'The Dark Mother' by Natalia P. Gutierrez

Natalia P. Gutierrez, a Valencia-based Character Artist with a decade of experience in the industry, specializes in creature design. Transitioning from 2D to 3D at 18, she has since contributed to various projects including Path of Exile 2, Total War: Three Kingdoms, and Predator: Hunting Grounds.

(P. Gutierrez, 2024) Her latest project, The Dark Mother, showcases a frightening, religious-themed original character. Natalia relishes the freedom of personal projects, allowing her creativity to flourish. The character's evolution unfolds organically as she sculpts in ZBrush, drawing inspiration from eerie religious statues and infusing her creatures with dark fantasy elements.

Detailing her workflow, Natalia shares insights into modeling, texturing, and rendering techniques. Utilizing software like ZBrush, 3ds Max, and Marvelous Designer, she meticulously crafts intricate details while optimizing time and resources. References and experimentation guide her texturing process, achieving realism while adding her artistic touch.

Natalia's lighting choices in Marmoset Toolbag create dramatic effects, enhancing the character's eerie allure. Rim lights and spotlights accentuate features, while sky lights illuminate the scene. She advises focusing on one element at a time to overcome burnout and maintain focus, stressing the importance of enjoying the creative process.

(P. Gutierrez, 2024)

I found this article on 80.level inspiring and encouraging. The artwork of Natalia P. Gutierrez is fascinating and outstanding. Gaining insight into her approach gave me multiple ideas on how to approach my 3D projects. Leaving more space for creativity could result in an amazing portfolio piece, but keeping an eye on references is still critical to ensure the consistency of the artwork.

References:

McKenzie, T. and P. Gutierrez, N. (2024). Imagining an Eerie Dark Fantasy Deity With ZBrush and Marmoset Toolbag. [online] 80.lv. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/imagining-an-eerie-dark-fantasy-deity-with-zbrush-and-marmoset-toolbag/.

P. Gutierrez, N. (2024). The Dark Mother. [Online] Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/lDvYXV.

[theodorobrejafmp]

Artists Comparisons

With this project I wanted to challenge myself and create a bit more complex characters that would reach the level required by a studio. To do so, I researched different kind of artists from the industry who worked on some of the games I was inspired by.

Fig.1: Julie Beliveau's armour comparison

Fig.2: Marianna Yakimova garment tutorial

Garment is a very important part of a character as it transmits a lot of the character's background and the style of the game. In addition, fashion in video games is a crucial aspect as it attracts the player and motivates them. To try and get studio level garment, I started following Marianna Yakimova’s tutorials in which she goes through the whole process step by step. To get at that level takes years of knowledge and practice, however it is an important resource to get my characters to the next level.

From these tutorials I will focus on:

Adding cloth layers for a complex look

Add Zbrush workflow to create details and realism

Have clean garment topology

Learn how to make realistic materials for cloth

I believe these tutorials to be a very good reference as it matches the workflow of many artists from the industry such as Julie Beliveau and Scarlett Brooks, both garment artists who worked on the armours of Diablo4.

Besides the garment, I also researched the production workflow of other character artists to improve my 3D and character production workflow. I looked at articles such as the one from Sean Dixon in which he shows examples of correct topology and rigging.

Fig.3: Sean Dixon Article about UV mapping

Moreover, I searched articles on 80.lv to see examples of other artists workflow for complex characters.

Fig.4: Natalia Gutierrez article on 80.lv

Because it's the first time I am working with MetaHumans in my workflow, I also researched articles from artists that already use this workflow:

Fig.5: Nick Gaul article on 80.lv

Bibliography:

Fig.1: Artstation.com. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/w0KXQg (Accessed: April 23, 2024).

Fig.2: Yakimova, M. (2020) Creating realistic garment in for games & realtime render. Youtube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1c4EC0isNs&list=PLmNLrfKMXuOwWtUVn-w4_IUUgeHQFwLaL&index=4 (Accessed: April 23, 2024).

Fig.3: Dixon, S. (2016) UV mapping, texturing and shaders, rigging and animation, Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@sdixon3/uv-mapping-texturing-and-shaders-rigging-and-animation-be9b4ddf0d48 (Accessed: April 23, 2024).

Fig.4: Gutiérrez, N. P. (2024) Imagining an eerie dark fantasy deity with ZBrush and marmoset toolbag, .80.Lv. 80lv. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/imagining-an-eerie-dark-fantasy-deity-with-zbrush-and-marmoset-toolbag/ (Accessed: April 23, 2024).

Fig.5: Gaul, N. (2024) Character production in unreal engine’s MetaHuman & XGen, .80.Lv. 80lv. Available at: https://80.lv/articles/character-production-in-unreal-engine-s-metahuman-xgen/ (Accessed: April 23, 2024).

[zapsoda]

gonna complain about postal 4 for a bit

so. obviously its buggy. barely fucking functional. standard complaint whatever but i can deal with it. i cant help but wonder if the graphics contribute to this at all. like theyre fine but god its like its trying to be gta. i dont need this. scale it down if you must. this shit is programmed like tumblr

my boy cant walk up stairs without getting stuck and not even for stamina reasons!!

you might call this a skill issue but i didnt have this problem at all while playing the same difficulty in postal 2 (whatever the default is) but like. there are almost no fucking pickups around edensin. am i crazy cause i found next to no pickups. like i am constantly running out of food/ammo/health items literally everything. im switching from weapon to weapon mid fight because i have one bullet left on each. right??? whats more, half the time when i do find pickups (or when kills drop them) i cant fucking pick them up! no idea why! i suspect it has to do with the bumpy terrain but its absurd!!

medkits are so few and far between and theyre in the most obtuse places. i havent played p2 in a while but i Know there were medkits stashed around the battle heavy areas. i remember that!! maybe its just cause the map is so big. so im lettin my boy die fucking constantly on standard difficulty because i bought just barely enough ammo to get through the chore, ran outta health items, and theres no medkits.

the vr tester chore almost broke my fucking computer it was so janky lmao. that was the only time i got the bug where dude falls through the earth upon respawning and i got it multiple times. also it sucked it was lame and boring i almost couldnt do it aha.

this is more of a minor complaint but dudes daily employers who instruct him on what to do during chores were fucking INSUFFERABLE to me. because they would never shut the fuck up!!!!! every few god damn seconds they would come on verbally abusing my husband "uhhhh just in case you forgot what you were doing, you fucking toolbag, you need to do xyz. NOW HURRY UP" thanks guys but no! i didnt forget! im trying to take care of the swarms of guys shooting at my husband because if i dont he will die and go to hell again! thus not completing the task! the swarms of guys shooting at him while he tries to do this shit for you!

i fucking lost it during the dam inspector task. the justin roiland impression was funny during the first cutscene but IMMEDIATELY after that it became so fucking annoying i had to turn the dialogue volume off because it was driving me insane. and that means i also turned down the volume of my beloved dudes kill dialogue!! look what youve made me do!!

that being said i think all the redditors who dislike it and are mean about are loooosers. cope and seethe etc etc etc "ohh this game sucks" yeah. it does.a lot. but my special guy is in it sooooo much and he can wear silly outfits and do emotes and pet doggys and he is soooo cute i love him